1990 Toyota Celica

Watch out for

Reputation: what owners and the press report. Tap one to see what to check.

• Rust in the sills, arches and strut mounts All years One source so far

  What to check: Look under the car at the sills and wheel arches, around the strut towers and at any sunroof panel.

  Named by a buyer's guide written for Japanese cars, which draws on a UK guide; some checks may differ for US cars.

  Sources ¹

• Tuned engine and overdue cambelt All years One source so far

  What to check: Ask for dated invoices for the cambelt, and for the history of any tuning, and check the clutch's bite.

  The same guide says tuned cars are more likely to fail, that the 3S-GTE's cambelt needs regular replacement, and that a clutch change is a heavy job.

  Sources ¹

• Clonks from the rear All years One source so far

  What to check: Listen for clonks from the rear, and check the differential mountings first.

  The guide says the differentials are strong but their mountings are not.

  Sources ¹

Recalls

• 90V078000 1990

  The driver's airbag inflator case was machined wrongly, so the airbag may not deploy in a crash. The inflator is replaced.^2,3

Sources

1. JDMBUYSELL (T180 guide)
2. NHTSA recalls (1990 Celica)
3. NHTSA campaign 90V078000